In order to achieve a greater rate of conversions, a bold and clear ‘add to cart button’ should be added to each product page and it should be made to stand out from the rest of the content so that it is easy to locate for any shopper. Use reds, blues and images to display it so that is is easily noticable to the user.

It is also important to use the correct terminology. Using terms such as ‘buy’ or ‘order’ may scare the user into thinking they are commiting to the purchase right now, whereas ‘add to cart’ or ‘add to basket’ acts as a nice first step in the buying process where the user may only still be browsing.

The example above, taken from PFT Central shows a good usage of an ‘add to cart button’. It stands out using a bold red color, and by using button styles it looks ‘clickable’. The terminology is good and the small trolley icon is good for people who may not speak or read English. It is easily noticable on the page and the use knows exactly what it means so this is how I would reccommend doingthis type of button.

It is important to have a virtual shopping basket or ‘cart’ viewable at all times so users feel like they have it ‘with them’ whilst they are browsing your site, and it also keeps them aware of what’s in there and that they can add or remove items at will, just as in real life.

The Amazon shopping basket is great example:

The blue colour makes it stand out perfectly and its slim design makes in non-obtrusive. The details are kept brief and important showing quantities, prices and a product title which when clicked upon takes you to the product you’re buying – a nice touch. A very important feature is the ‘edit shopping basket’ button which is nice and clear and assures the user that they can always add or remove items nice and easily.

The two ‘Proceed to Chekout’ buttons are also very prominent here and are located near the shopping basket because it’s likely that you’d want to check what’s in your basket before checking out.

One final point I’d like to make about shopping baskets is to keep the name consistent. Don’t go switching between cart, basket or trolley at will as it could confuse less experienced users. The basket is there to reassure and to be convenient to users, following these guidelines and taking a page out of Amazon’s book will help you on your way.

Adding a search function is the number one standard in designing e-commerce websites. They should all have one as they allow customers to quickly and conveniently locate what they’re looking for. It’s similar to asking an assistant in a supermarket where a particular product is. You may know where the cereals are, but it can be difficult to locate the exact brand amongst the hundereds on offer. The same rule applies to an online shop, browsing through categories can be a long process.

In terms of design, once again Amazon wins out. The bar should be located at the top of the page, above the fold where it can be seen instantly. Use a standard white background for text entry and surrond it in a dark colour to make it stand out. You should also make it as long as possible so that users don’t have their queries cut off. Some search functions suggest words as you’re typing to make the process easier but I think some less experienced users would find this confusing and off-putting.